Brighton cat killer jailed for five years after ex-Navy gunner found guilty of killing nine cats

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An ex-Royal Navy gunner dubbed the Brighton cat killer has been jailed for more than five years after being found guilty of killing nine cats and maiming seven more during a nine-month campaign of cruelty.

Steve Bouquet, 54, approached the pets close to their homes and began to show them affection before launching his attacks in East Sussex.

The cats that greeted the shopping centre security guard were left to die after he pulled out a knife and stabbed them with ‘force’.

Bouquet’s killing spree brought fear to pet owners across the seaside resort who were too scared to let their cats out.

Between October 2018 and June 2019, Bouquet stabbed at least 16 pet cats, killing nine and seriously injuring seven.

He was only caught after the owner of one killed cat set up CCTV overlooking the alleyway outside his house and caught him attacking his final victim.

Pet owners broke down in tears today at Hove Crown Court while reading statements about the impact of their beloved pets’ deaths.  

Emma O’Sullivan, whose cat Gizmo was killed, wept as she told the court: ‘I miss Gizmo every day. After it happened it could not sleep. I spent many months in therapy working through what had happened.

‘I’ll miss her for the rest of my life. She was such a friendly and loving cat who loved sitting outside the house getting petted by people walking past.’

Katherine Mattock, owner of Alan, said: ‘This was a murder of innocent and much-loved cat called Alan. Alan was my family. He made my house a home.

‘One minute he was running round the kitchen then next he was dead, covered in blood.

‘He had an innocent and playful nature. It was dreadful to think he went to a stranger for a stroke and then got a stab instead. In the immediate time after his death meant I had to have medication to sleep. Law is not fit for purpose.’

Lucy Kenward, who spent £5,000 on veterinary treatment trying to save her cat Cosmo, broke down in tears as she recalled the horrific killing.

She said: ‘I thought he may be injured, get hit by a car, get into a fight with other cats but I never expected him to be stabbed by a person.’

Andrea Williams, whose pet Wheatley was injured and then later died, said her cat was a Maine coon. 

‘Our cat was famous in Brighton, a feline celebrity. People went out of their way to come and talk to him. He showed us so much love. I still wake up in the small hours thinking of him and crying.

‘We had a murderer walking the streets with a knife with an intent to kill.’ 

She said she developed ‘acute paranoia’ and mental health suffered as a result.

Bouquet, who authorities fear could be responsible for over 30 cat attacks in the city, was charged with 16 offences of criminal damage because, under current legislation, cats and other animals are deemed to be property.

But Chief Superintendent Nick May, divisional commander for Brighton and Hove, today tried to calm fears that Bouquet was killing other pets around the country, after a series of dead animals were discovered around the South East – dubbed the Croydon Cat Killer.

He added that Bouquet rarely left Brighton and all the attacks occurred only a short distance from his home.

CSI May said: ‘There is no indication to suggest that Bouquet is involved in any other incidents relating to the killing or injuring of cats elsewhere in the country – indeed, evidence suggests that he rarely leaves Brighton.

‘There are no indications that there is any other person in Brighton and Hove causing harm to cats and we are not looking for anyone else involved in this type of criminality.

‘However, we understand the considerable public interest in this case and we are sharing our learning with the National Crime Agency and with other forces who have experienced similar incidents.’

Bouquet failed to appear at court for his trial last month, and was tried and convicted in his absence of all 16 counts of criminal damage and the possession of a bladed article.

Police eventually apprehended him after a tip off from a member of the public who saw him drinking and behaving oddly at a park in Brighton. 

Sentencing, Judge Jeremy Gold QC said the crimes were ‘appalling’ and the impact on the owners and their families was ‘considerable and grave’.

‘No explanation for your behaviour has been put forward but no sensible explanation could be advanced.’

He jailed Bouquet for five years for the cat killings, three months for possession of the knife to be served concurrently and three months for failing to answer bail to be served consecutively – a total sentence of five years and three months.

The court heard the attacks began in October 2019 with cats being indiscriminately stabbed in the street.

Police were initially stumped for clues as more than a dozen cats were killed or maimed in horrific stabbings.

For nine months owners were left terrified of letting their cats out of the front door in case they fell victim to the killer. 

A breakthrough in the search for the killer came when a CCTV system set up by an owner of a killed cat appeared to capture a fresh attack on camera, a court heard.

Footage shows the moment Bouquet struck after stooping to stroke Hendrix, a nine-month-old black kitten, on the narrow passageway linking Church Street and North Road in Brighton.

Bouquet can be seen taking something from his rucksack and then making a sudden jerk forwards, towards the cat who then flees into his house.

Rowan Jenkins, prosecuting, said that in the footage Bouquet can be seen stopping and beginning to show affection to Hendrix. 

He told the jury: ‘But as he goes he seems to take something from his rucksack and you will see a sudden jerk form the defendant’s arm which is the moment he stabs Hendrix with force.

‘Hendrix immediately gets to his feet and flees to his home. The defendant is seen to rearrange his rucksack and walks past the camera.’

Hendrix was later found by his owners bleeding heavily from an apparent knife wound and he was rushed to a vet but sadly died of his injuries.

When his owner, Stewart Montgomery, discovered his neighbour, Mr Levy, had a CCTV camera trained on the alleyway he approached him and the pair viewed the footage of the stabbing.

The footage was instrumental in catching Bouquet, police said.

Social media groups in the communities were also set up to help Sussex Police in bringing the killer to justice. 

Mr Jenkins said: ‘He made a single mistake but that was all that was needed to expose him.’

Detective Inspector Chris Thompson said after the sentencing: ‘We examined the footage and discovered that it had captured Bouquet stooping to stroke the cat before taking something from his rucksack and making a sudden jerk towards it. Hendrix fled, but he later sadly died from his injuries.

‘This was to prove a turning point in our investigation as, for the first time, we had evidence of who was responsible. Two days later, on June 2, 2019, we arrested the suspect and in a search of his house found a knife with cat DNA on the blade and his DNA on the handle.

‘We also found a number of images of live cats in various locations around the city and also one that showed a dead cat, Kyo that had been killed in May 2019.

‘In interview, Bouquet told us how cats had always been friendly to him and he would often stroke them while he was walking.’ 

Two days later, Mr Levy saw Bouquet walking past his house again on his live CCTV and immediately called police and officers who had been hunting the alleged cat killer for almost a year attended.

They arrested him minutes later and after searching him they found a Leatherman multi-tool on him.

The court heard Bouquet had several pictures of the cats he attacked, both alive and dead, on his phone.

When police searched his flat they found a knife stained with feline blood in his kitchen.

Phone data also placed him at or near the scene where the cats were attacked at almost the exact time.

Judge Jeremy Gold QC described the attacks as very unpleasant and said they had a significant impact on the owners who relied on their cats for companionship and comfort.

Nine pets died following vicious attacks with a knife or knives, the court heard. 

Hannah, Tommy, Alan, Nancy, Gizmo, Kyo, Ollie, Hendrix and Cosmo were all killed.

Another seven animals – Wheatley, Alistair, Rigby, Gideon, Samson, Jasper and Maggie – survived, although Wheatley later died from his injuries.

Ravi Dogra, defending, said Bouquet served in the Royal Navy for 22 years and may suffer from PTSD.

The court heard he served in Northern Ireland and manned a gun post on a ship during service in Iraq.

Mr Dogra said that Bouquet now has thyroid cancer which has spread to his liver and his lungs.

Speaking after the sentencing Jayne Cioffi, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the CPS, said: ‘None of us can comprehend what drove Bouquet to do this to family pets. 

‘His claims that it was simply chance that he was present at various times when the animals were attacked were rightly dismissed by the jury after being disproved by the investigation and prosecution work.’